brought about by forces that are larger than our own society, globalization, th reach of technology and changing demographics. and within that, i felt that america was at a time when we desperately needed to have the strongest possible value space. we needed to be more in touch with the best of the american idea, the best aspects of the american idea. >> brown: value space you say. well, i say the value space. the space where we talk about why we do things, not what we're going to do. i felt that space had emptied out. we had had a very tough first decade of this century. i thought the conservative vision of small government, low taxes, big defense, had played itself out and that progressives, liberals, we were flat on our back. >> brown: you use this term hand making i implies a sense of craft, a hands-on. your own background i know from bei involved in folklore and music. >> yes. i'm a folklorist and amuse i cannologist. that colors my perspective. i reach back for the foundation of my argument to the late 19th century, to that other transition, the industrial revolution, and to the k